Folding device for treadmills

ABSTRACT

A treadmill includes a base with two side rails and two posts with two handles are connected to the two side rails. Two guide members are connected to the two side rails and each guide member has two curve grooves which are located symmetrically about a diameter of the guide member corresponding thereto and share a common center. A frame with an endless belt is pivotably connected between the two side rails and two pin sets are respectively connected to each of two sides of a first end of the frame and movably engaged with the two curve grooves of respective one of the two guide members. Each pin set includes a bearing movably received in the curve groove so that the frame is easily pivoted by moving the pin sets in the curve grooves.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a folding device for easily folding the frame with the endless belt relative to the base.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional treadmill generally includes a base with a rectangle frame pivotably connected between two sides of the base. A driving device is connected to the frame so as to drive an endless belt on the frame. Two posts extend from the two sides of the base and two handlebars are connected to the two posts and a control panel is connected between the two handlebars. In order to be conveniently stored when not in use, some treadmills are equipped with a folding device so that the frame can be pivoted upright to reduce the area that the treadmill occupies. Most of the folding devices include too many parts and involve a complicated mechanism which is costly and difficult to be maintained. Besides, when pivoting the frame, the user has to overcome certain level of resistance and this could be a problem for some users.

The present invention intends to provide a folding device that includes two guide members with curve grooves and bearings received in the grooves so as to assist the user to easily pivot the frame upward.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a treadmill that includes a base with two side rails and two posts extend from the two side rails. Two handles are connected to the two posts. Two guide members are connected to the two side rails and each guide member has two curve grooves defined therein. The two curve grooves are located symmetrically about a diameter of the guide member corresponding thereto and share a common center. A frame has an endless belt reeving two ends thereof. Two pin sets are respectively connected to each of two sides of a first end of the frame and movably engaged with the two curve grooves of respective one of the two guide members.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show the treadmill of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the folding device of the treadmill of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows that the frame is adjusted relative to the base

FIG. 4 shows that the frame is pivoted upright;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view to show another embodiment of the folding device of the treadmill of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view to show yet another embodiment of the folding device of the treadmill of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of the folding device of the treadmill of the present invention, and

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the folding device in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the treadmill “A” of the present invention comprises a base 10 with two side rails 11 and two posts 12 extend from the two side rails 11. Two handles 13 are connected to the two posts 12 and a control panel 14 is connected between the two posts 12. Two guide devices 30 include two circular guide members 31 which are fixedly connected to the two side rails 11 and each guide member 31 has two curve grooves 32, 33 defined therein. The two curve grooves 32, 33 are located symmetrically about a diameter of the guide member 31 corresponding thereto and share a common center.

A rectangle frame 20 includes a motor (not shown) in a first end thereof and covered by a box and an endless belt 21 driven by the motor reeves two ends of the frame 20. A roller 22 is connected to each of two sides of a second end of the frame 20. Two pin sets 34, 35 are respectively connected to each of two sides of a first end of the frame 20 and movably engaged with the two curve grooves 32, 33 of respective one of the two guide members 31. Each of the pin sets 34, 35 includes a pin 341/351 and a bearing 343/353 connected to an end 342/352 of the pin 341/351. The bearings 343, 353 together with the two respective ends 342, 352 of the pins 341, 351 are movably received in one of the two curve grooves 32, 33. A pneumatic cylinder 40 is connected between an underside of the frame 20 and a transverse bar between two side rails 11 of the base 10.

Referring to FIG. 4, the two guide members 31 are fixed and the frame 20 can be pivoted about a center of the two guide member 31 by moving the two pin sets 34, 35 from horizontal positions as shown in FIG. 3 to upright positions as shown in FIG. 4. The bearings 343, 353 effectively assist the user to easily pivot the frame 20. The pneumatic cylinder 40 support and maintain the frame 20 at the upright position.

As shown in FIG. 6, the two guide members 31 can also be fixed to two respective ends of the two side rails 11.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the folding device wherein the two guide members 31 are connected to two respective ends of the two sides of the front end of the frame 20. The two pins 341, 351 respectively extend through each of the two side rails 11 and connected to the two bearings 343, 353 movably received in the two curve grooves 32, 33. When pivoting the frame 20, the two guide members 31 are rotated with the pivoting action and the two pins 341, 351 are stationary.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a further embodiment of the folding device wherein two protrusions 15 extend from the two side rails 11 and each protrusion 15 includes an upright through hole 16. The two guide members 31 are movably received in the upright through holes 16 in the two protrusions 15. In other words, the first end of the frame 20 can be adjusted along the upright through holes 16.

By the two curve grooves 32, 33, the two pins 341, 351 are stopped by the two inner ends of the grooves 32, 33 so as to limit the angle that the frame 20 is pivoted.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A treadmill comprising: a base with two side rails and a handle connected to the base, two guide members connected to the two side rails and each guide member having two curve grooves defined therein, the two curve grooves located symmetrically about a diameter of the guide member corresponding thereto and sharing a common center, and a frame having an endless belt reeving two ends thereof, two pin sets respectively connected to each of two sides of a first end of the frame and movably engaged with the two curve grooves of respective one of the two guide members.
 2. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pin sets includes a pin and a bearing connected to an end of the pin, the bearings together with the two respective ends of the pins being movably received in one of the two curve grooves.
 3. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein a roller is connected to each of two sides of a second end of the frame.
 4. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pneumatic cylinder is connected between an underside of the frame and a transverse bar between two side rails of the base.
 5. The treadmill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two guide members are connected at two respective ends of the side rails.
 6. A treadmill comprising: a base with two side rails and a handle connected to the base; a frame having an endless belt reeving two ends thereof and two guide members connected to two sides of a front end of the frame, each guide member having two curve grooves defined therein, the two curve grooves located symmetrically about a diameter of the guide member corresponding thereto and sharing a common center, and two pin sets respectively extending through each of the two side rails and connected to two bearings movably received in the two curve grooves.
 7. The treadmill as claimed in claim 6, wherein a roller is connected to each of two sides of a second end of the frame.
 8. The treadmill as claimed in claim 6, wherein a pneumatic cylinder is connected between an underside of the frame and a transverse bar between two side rails of the base.
 9. A treadmill comprising: a base with two side rails and a handle connected to the base; a frame having an endless belt reeving two ends thereof and two guide members connected to two sides of a front end of the frame, each guide member having two curve grooves defined therein, the two curve grooves located symmetrically about a diameter of the guide member corresponding thereto and sharing a common center; two pin sets respectively extending through each of the two side rails and connected to two bearings movably received in the two curve grooves, and two protrusions extending from the two side rails and each protrusion including an upright through hole, the two guide members movably received in the upright through holes in the two protrusions. 